State cabinet on Tuesday sanctioned revised allowances and facilities for government employees in the context of the state pay commission’s recommendations, HT reports.

State cabinet on Tuesday sanctioned revised allowances and facilities for government employees in the context of the state pay commission’s recommendations.

Besides, dearness allowance at the rate of 7% was also sanctioned to government employees.

However, working hours, public and other holidays remain unchanged.

According to the official spokesperson, accepting the pay commission’s recommendations, revised house rent allowance has been sanctioned to the employees of the state government residing in various cities and towns on the basis of population shown in census-2001.

Accordingly, 10% house rent allowance (percentage of total of pay band and grade pay) will be given in cities with over seven lakh population, 7% in cities with three to seven lakh population, 5% in cities with 50,000 to 3 lakh population and 3% house rent allowance will be given in cities which have population less than 50,000.

Vehicle Allowance Vehicle allowance has also been increased. Accordingly, average monthly travel for government work has been fixed.

Daily Allowance It was decided to provide daily allowance on integrated rate by merging headquarters allowance and special halt allowance for proposed five categories.

Officers whose grade pay is more than Rs 6,600 will be eligible for air travel within the state.

Eligibility For Lodging Expenditure limit for lodging during government employees’ travel for government work was also fixed.

Simplification Of Pension In the context of the sixth Central Pay Commission’s recommendations, pension commutation of state’s pensioners will be made at the rate of 8% annual interest as per directives issued by the Central Government.

Revision of house rent allowance, reserved area house rent allowance, concessional house rent in reserved areas and non-commercial allowances will be implemented with effect from November 1, 2011.

Other revised rates will be implemented from August 1, 2012.

Dearness Allowance The cabinet decided to grant 7% increase in the dearness allowance of employees/adhyapak grade and panchayat secretaries of Panchayat Raj Institutions and pensioners with effect from August 1, 2012.

According to the decision, both state government employees and pensioners will start getting 65% dearness allowance with effect from August 1, 2012.

Adhyapak grade and panchayat secretaries of Panchayat Raj Institutions and local bodies will get 164% DA of basic pay.

As a result of this increase, the government will have to bear a burden of Rs 616.42 crore during the current financial year and an annual burden of Rs 1056.72 crore.